JUNE R Pooley’s (Viewpoints, June 25) response to my letter concerning the virtuous nature of faith was predictably ambiguous.

Instead of attempting to debunk my clearly-defined argument she chose to evade accountability by pontificating from some metaphysical astral plane using esoteric poetic prose.

She implies that those without faith are veritable zombies who are “failures” and who are “limited” by their “finite minds”.

In response I would suggest that atheists such as Picasso, Abe Lincoln, Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, Bill Gates, Marie Curie and Francis Crick undermine her argument. You can add to these, great humanitarians such as Thomas Paine and, latterly, Bob Geldof. None of this small selection’s motive was the self-interested prize of eternal divine salvation.

I am not an atheist but I am motivated by recent moves to undermine secular democracy.

Theocratic influences which were eroded during the 18th Century.

Enlightenment is growing and affecting the way we are governed. Invading sovereign states after seeking God’s guidance has dragged us back to the Middle Ages. Rome and Canterbury are imposing their dogma on contraception, gay rights, stem cell research, abortion and faith schools.

“Faith removes limitations” is another of Ms Pooley’s loose quotes that can be ridiculed when you look at the plight of women under the Taliban and other Mullahs from the Dark Ages.

However, I do wholeheartedly agree with her statement that faith cannot be analysed by rules of science or reason.